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36 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic, but maybe not for the squeamish, February 22, 2010
This review is from: Kick-Ass (Hardcover)
Well written, brisk pacing, fantastic art, fun twists, and great characters all combine to make this one of the best reads out there right now.
Is it shocking? Sure, but that's part of the fun of it! However, the "shock factor" is only one small part of what makes this book feel so fresh.
For me, Millar and JRJR kncoked this book out of the park. You can tell how much fun they're having telling their story, and I love being along for the ride.
If you're sensitive to violence or to underage kids using guns, swords, and adult language, this book may not be for you; but if you can appreciate it for what it is, you won't be disappointed. Don't worry -- it's nowhere near as "shocking" as many other comics out there such as Preacher or The Boys (or pretty much anything else Garth Ennis writes), but it certainly is edgy.
Overall, it's a surprisingly fresh and unique take on superheroes, geek culture, and adolescence, masterfully illustrated and perfectly paced.
I love it!
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"We only get one life and I wanted mine to be exciting...", April 4, 2010
This review is from: Kick-Ass (Hardcover)
My goodness, no wonder there's a movie coming out. What Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. have done here simply calls for a cinematic adaptation, and I am salivating. If you've ever wondered what it'd be like if some fool - and an untrained kinda nerdy high school fool, at that - decides to don a superhero costume and prowl the slimy streets in search of mischief, this'll be an eye-popper.
John Hughes never dreamed of something like this in his high school flicks. The central figure is comic-book-reading 16-year-old Dave Lizewski who doesn't boast that tragic a past; no radioactive insects bit him; he wasn't exposed to a magic word; and he's not an orphan from an exploded planet. To quote Dave Lizewski, his origin is he was bored. But under Mark Millar's insanity, Dave's story takes on this dark, outrageous, ultra-violent turn while still staying somewhat in the periphery of what's realistic.
This trade collects the first eight issues and lets you into an urban bloodbath. Because when you put on a wet suit and start looking for trouble, odds are you're gonna end up bumping against some seriously hard mothereffers. And when your only super powers are perseverance and some talent for soaking up punishment, you'll most likely end up hitting the floor really hard. Dave gets severely pounded his first time going up against some thugs, and then he gets bowled over asss over heel by a hurtling car.
Months of recovery from his injuries, and you'd think Dave's learned his lesson. But then Dave puts on the costume again and resumes his night patrols. And then, while bracing some muggers, Dave becomes an overnight online sensation, the first real-life superhero. The Internet even gives him his superhero code name. And soon other costumed freaks are following in his footsteps, including a badasss ten-year-old girl expertly wielding swords. Go throw your hands in the air for the lethal and potty-mouthed Hit-Girl. And, okay, with Hit-Girl, Millar does wander past what's believable. But she's such a cool character that we have to, have to give her a pass.
Despite the Rob Liefeld intro, this trade is a jaw-dropping read, but it's horribly suited for children, nuns, and perhaps Armenians. Profanity and nudity are a healthy presence. Let me say that KICK-ASS is bloody and brutal and subversive and simply in your damn f----- face, and Millar shows you why no one's actually gotten away with putting on a costume and stomping on amoral lowlifes in real life. Artist John Romita, Jr. comes in with some of his best stuff and there's even that smidgen of that Frank Miller vibe in his art. Saying that this series is violent is to understate matters, kinda like suggesting that Big Daddy exhibits questionable parenting skills. I've already said that Mark Millar is insane, and I'm sticking to that. But the guy is also a master of his craft, and so we eat up his dish of bloody visceral bombast, and I also relish how Dave and, later, Red Mist go about on their new careers (Meanwhile, Big Daddy & Hit-Girl's relationship is really too dysfunctional to be relatable). So is this an unflinching, credible look at costumed vigilantes in the real world? Probably more so than not. The dialogue, by the way, rings true, as does Dave Lizewski. And the story is funny as well. I laughed my titmice off at what happens when Dave arrives at the moment in which he feels he ought to start leaping rooftop to rooftop. Dave Lizewski is a compelling character, but I think the kid is seriously disturbed. Still doesn't keep me from saying that his alter ego absolutely friggin' rules!
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Kids Are Alright, April 30, 2010
This review is from: Kick-Ass (Hardcover)
I don't get out to the theater much, so when I saw the positive reviews for the film adaptation of Kick Ass I decided to give the graphic novel a try. First of all, it's a fun, very quick read, because it's heavy on the "graphic" and light on the "novel". Lot's of well-drawn, "graphic", colorful images with blood spurting everywhere as well as other bodily fluids.
The story is very well written and flows superbly. I got through the entire book in just about an hour. The story introduces us to a high school kid whose favorite pass-time is, you guessed it, comic books. Specifically, comic books with superheroes. And this kid's fantasy is, you guessed it, to be a superhero. So what do you think he does? (Okay, I'll stop saying "you guessed it" now.) He puts on a costume and he goes out looking for trouble. And he finds it.
The story is pretty believable up until he starts to develop super strength in some situations...perhaps not super strength, but maybe super-resilient powers is a better way to put it. Then when 10 year old HitGirl shows up and exhibits superhuman power (for a 10 year old anyway) and resolve, the story gets a tad--wait, no--a lot unbelievable.
But overall I enjoyed the ride and I'm now truly looking forward to seeing the film adaptation when it comes out on Blu Ray. So would I recommend the book? Sure. Absolutely. Especially if you've not seen the movie.
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